Violent Loss and Religious Coping: A Multi-group Path Analysis

Presented by: Andrea Walker, John Hathcoat, Sean Harnas

The study measures how religious coping predicts religious development and meaning in life and examines how these predictions vary when losses are related to violent deaths, as opposed to natural deaths and non-death related stressors. Using a web-based survey design, 785 participants answered questions about religious coping, religious schemas, faith maturity, and meaning in life. When participants experienced violent death loss, coping positively increased their certainty in their current religious teachings but decreased their meaning in life; surprisingly, coping negatively increased meaning in life and also resulted in greater faith in God. Implications for therapists are explored.

Protective effect of spousal empathy on marital satisfaction and adjustment

Presented by: James McDonald, Jonathan Olson, Ann Lanning, Wally Goddard, James Marshall

Studies have shown that more than 60% of second and 72% of third marriages end in divorce. Since being previously married is a structural risk factor that cannot be changed, it is important to identify protective mechanisms that reduce the likelihood of negative marital outcomes. We examined the relationship between forgiveness, spousal empathy and humility on marital adjustment and satisfaction in husbands and wives separately. Significant predictors included: spousal empathy for husbands and wives, forgiveness for wives and the interaction between empathy and previous marriage for wives.

An Adaptation of the Spiritual Perspective Scale (SPS) for Families: Psychometric Properties and Predictive Validity of the Spiritual Perspective Scale-Family Version (SPS-FV)

Presented by: Sherria Taylor, Brian Distelberg, Michelle Stahl

The role of shared family spirituality processes is an important factor in developing resilience within families. The examinations of this phenomenon have largely been qualitative in nature, and, to date, no quantitative instruments have been developed that adequately represent how families collectively express spirituality. This study introduced a revised version of the Spiritual Perspective Scale and tested the psychometric properties of the Spiritual Perspective Scale-Family Version (SPS-FV) with 574 low-income families living in public housing. Results of this study support the SPS-FV as a reliable assessment of family spirituality.

Attitudes Toward Posthumous Reproduction Among Christians

Presented by: Jason Hans, Ilya Okhotnikov

A national probability sample (N = 1,006) was obtained using random-digit dialing to examine how attitudes toward posthumous reproduction vary according to one's religious affiliation and degree of religiosity. Importantly, a majority of both high and low religiosity respondents from each religious denomination (Catholic, Evangelicals, and Mainline Protestants) believed that the requested procedure should be allowed regardless of whether they heard about a scenario involving cryopreserved sperm or posthumous sperm retrieval. However, the percentage of respondents who believed the procedure should be allowed varied in meaningful ways according to religious denomination and religiosity.